I wanted to add some helpful tips that I picked up from the EPP (Expert Patients Programme) Course I attended recently. It is based in England so will help other members who are in the United Kingdom. But hey, what’s to stop another Carer in another Country starting one up of their own.
I read through the manual they gave us for FREE on the course and over time worked through the ‘3 month’ plan they suggested we set for ourselves and most importantly I have outlined below some of the suggestions that EPP came up with on the Course that have been particularly helpful to me personally and I’m sure they will be to you too.
I have listed the helpful tips as brief pointers as I thought it might be easier on the eye… and as Carers we are busy, busy people!!
Reducing Anxiety:-
1. Take a walk in the early morning as there are less people about and the person you care for is still in noddy land!
2. Phone a friend when it gets too much …. Sharing your troubles with others is a great
stress reliever, trust me!!
3. Positive thinking …. Be confident today …… be proud of your achievements and
say today is going to be a good day!!
4. Take up yoga or some form of exercise .. releasing all those endorphins will give you
that kick!!
Reducing symptoms of depression:-
1. Get out and get some fresh air, go to the coast possibly and breathe in that healthy sea
air.
2. If exercise is new to you, start slowly with a 10 minute walk and build up gradually to
20 to 30 minutes at least 3 times a week, it will make an enormous difference to how
you feel and give you more energy to cope with your caring role.
3. If you have been diagnosed with depression and are taking medication, remember to
take it regularly as forgetting it (and that can be easily done when you are caring for
others) can make the symptoms much, much worse.
4. Don’t isolate yourself as that can make the symptoms of depression far worse. Make
an effort to go out somewhere daily.
The symptom cycle:-
(this is basically when you start off for example not exercising, which then makes you feel tired, which then leads to mood changes, which then stops you from shopping and eating properly, which then can lead to aches and pains, headaches, tiredness and the circle goes round and round and round)
How to break the symptom cycle:-
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms listed below break the cycle, for example, take up exercise, (seek doctors advice first and his/her approval though before taking up any new exercise and rule out any serious health issues first).which will then help you to feel less tired, give you more energy and lift your mood.
1. SHORTNESS OF BREATH
2. DEPRESSION
3. DIFFICULT EMOTIONS
4. STRESS/ANXIETY
5. PAIN
6. TENSE MUSCLES
7. LEADING TO LONG TERM CONDITIONS, SUCH AS DEPRESSION,
8. FATIGUE
The above tips are taken from the EPP course and are intended as my interpretation of what I feel were extremely helpful parts of the course and supported me a great deal. They are in no way intended as my ideas and are extracted from the course hand-book and from information passed on through the Tutors on the EPP Course.
I do wish other carers good luck in dealing with their symptoms, (if they have any of the above) and in finding their own personal coping strategies as I did.
And if you know of an EPP course near you, sign up for it, as it will change your life for the better, it certainly did mine.
From a Carer Buddy and Member of carersconnectint.com